Japheth J. Omojuwa — Issues In The Nigerian Presidential Elections

Omojuwa focuses on the real issues in the Nigerian elections

National insecurity, the economy and Nigeria’s challenge with corruption should dominate the conversation surrounding the nation’s 2015 elections but they have been sideshows to the trivialities that have risen to the fore over the last few weeks. The presidential election holds on March 28, just over three weeks today. None of the major candidates, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has committed to any debate, but they have in their different ways attempted to dominate the issue space.

While arguing for essence of a debate between the two has been briefly debated here on AfricanLiberty.org and with none of the political parties keen on debating, it would help to look at the issues beyond a debate space. The absence should not deprive the nation, the opportunity to finally have critical issues of development get tabled without much of the puerility that has accompanied the campaigns, especially with characters like Governor Ayo Fayose dominating the media space.

Nigeria’s latest democratic experiment started in 1999 and the ongoing 16 years journey has been the nation‘s longest democratic run. There is a semblance of stability at the centre but only just. The 2015 elections are likely to offer the biggest test yet as the prospects of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party losing to the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, are the highest the ruling party has faced since it began its leadership of Nigeria in 1999.

Read complete article here